Seven New Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance

02 April 2012 | News story

Policy makers from 21 Mediterranean countries approved to include seven new sites on the SPAMI list (Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance) at the last meeting of Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention held in Paris (February 2012), officially informed by the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA)

The Contracting Parties of Barcelona Convention examined these proposals and decided to include the concerned areas to the SPAMI list as mentioned on the decision IG 20/7. The new sites in the SPAMI list are:

IUCN launched marine activities in the Palm Islands Nature Reserve in Lebanon during the war in July/August 2006, as a military attack blew up the oil depots of the Jiyyeh power plant, leading to the discharge of almost 15,000 tonnes of fuel oil into the sea with severe damage to the marine environment in many locations along the coast. Amongst the affected areas was the Palm Islands Nature Reserve (PINR) and its rich biodiversity. Now this area is today included as SPAMI. Furthermore, IUCN-Med is working on a marine protected areas strategy for Lebanon.